Gun



G. M. BARNES Feb; '16, 1932.

GUN

Filed-Dec. 1o, 1930 sheets-sheet 1 Q INVENTOR.

Elademn M Earn; BY I/ /Wza G. M. BARNES Feb w; 1933 GUN Filed Dec. lO. 1930 INVENToR. Elademn M Elarne 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 BY M WM ATTORNEY Feb., E6, i932. G. M. BARNES '1,845,217

GUN I Filed nec. 1o, 1930 :s sheets-sheet s Si I 1 'IlIlllllllllllllllll/lllllllllln l l l 111rllllllllllll/IIIIIIILYIIIIIA` 79 INVENTOR.

Eladecm M Ea'rnes 83 ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 15, 1932 GUN Application filed December 10,' 1930.

Serial "No. 501,322.

(GRANTED VUNDERTHE ACT- GF MARCH 3, y1883, AS AMENDED 'APRILv 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) rThe invention described' herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

5 The subject of this invention is a gun particularly designed as a modicationofcopending application Serial No. 413,117, led December 10, 1929, andas an improvement on the type of mechanism originating in 1o Patent-No. 749,215 of 1904.

rlhe system of controlling the movement Accordingly, the improvements ofv the present application are directed to provisions for regulating the length of recoil, the velocityof recoil and counterrecoil, and the power of buffer mechanisms.

TVith the foregoing and other objects in 30 view', the invention resides in the novel arrangement and combination of parts and Ain the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, ity being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be'made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit'of the invention. A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying` drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is aV more or less diagrammatic illustration in the nature of a longitudinal sectional view of the improved recoil and counterrecoil mechanism;

F ig. 2 is a transverse sectional view showing a method of arranging .the various ele# ments with respect to a gun for establishing gas communication between the gun and recoil cylinder; Y 5C" Fig. 3 is alongitudinal sectional view of the' recoil cylinder showingalternate arrangements for electing regulation of the gases; Fig. 4l is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of theV valve in the auxiliary chamber of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5. is a similar View ot'thevalvein the auxiliary chamber of Fig. .3;

Fig. 6 is a more or less diagrammatic illustration in the nature of a longitudinal sectional view showing the means for holding the gun in battery;

Fig. 7l is a: fragmentary view similar to Fig. 6 showing the holding means in re'- leased position; f

Figs. 8 and 9 are sectional views on the corresponding lines of Figs. 6 and'7; and

Fig. 10 isa sectional view on thelin 10-10 of Fig. 6. y y f Referring to the drawings by characters ot reference: l

In' Figs. 1 and 2 there .is shown a gun 11 havingA slides 1 2 whereby it is reciprocally mounted in the conventionalmanner in a cradle 13. A recoil and'counterrecoilcylinder 14 supported by hangers 15-15/ is securedV to the gun lugl through its rear" cylinder head 17 andthe nut 18 so that it partalies of the movement of the gun.

The interior ofvv the cylinder is in communication with the interior ofthe gun, a convenient method ofstructurally accomplishing this end being shown in Fig. 2, wherein a passage 19 in a valve block 15a associated with the hanger'l is open to an outlet passage 2O 4in the gun' and an inletpassage 21`in the cylinder. By this provision the rapidly expanding gasesY of discharge may be conducted from the bore of the gunA to the cylinder. l Y

The passageI 19` is provided with aivalve seat 22- intermediate the passages 2O `and 21 so thatcommunication may beV interrupted by a valve 23. A.' spring 24 seated Eon-an element of the cylinder'bears against a spur gear 25 fast on the valve stem' and normallyvtendsv to move the vvalve lto open position. Such movement is opposed by a nut 26 threaded on the valve stem andreceivable `in a recess 27 in the hanger 15. The nut-26 is held against rotation by a key 28 with the result that rotation of the valve through the gear 25- serves to advance or retract with respect to the valve seat. When the gun is in battery the valve stem is arranged to engagev al buer rod 29 slidable in the cradle and having resistance supplied. by Belleville washers 30. The rod 29 serves to positively maintain the valve23 open whenever the gun is in batter lgarallel to and in communication with the passage 19 through a port 31 is a passage 32 open to a conduit 33. A valve seat 34 in the passage is provided to receive a valve 35 which is similar to the valve 23 and has a spur gear 36 meshingwith the spur gear 25. The stem of the valve 35 is slidable in a gear 37 meshing with a gear 38 fast on a shaft 39.

Y This shaft is controlled by gearing 40 in the well known manner when the cradle is moved in elevation, the purpose being to effect a variable length of recoil by regulating the volume of gas introduced into the cylinder. The conduit 33 leads to a valve block 4l secured to the rear end of the cylinder and is in communication with a passage 42 inthe block that leads to the cylinder. The' passage 42 is extended beyond its junction with the conduit to lead to the atmosphere, and is offset to form a seat for an adjustablerelief valver43 normally held closed by a spring 44.

Within the cylinder is a hollow piston rod 45 secured at its forward extremity to an element of the cradle. The piston'head 46 is spaced from the cylinder head 17 to consti-kv tute a buffer chamber 47 and is provided with a passage v48 and valve 4.9 to permit a' controlled admission of gases into the buffer chamber. When the gun is'in battery the piston head is disposed between the gas pas- Sages 2l and 42. The valve 49 threadedly engages a plug 50 and is provided with a slotted head 51 to receive a screwdriver which may be introduced through a normally closed aperture 52 in =the cylinder head 17.

Secured to the forward cylinder head 53 is an vannular casing 54 spaced both from the wall and the head of the cylinder 14 and from the piston rod 45 and providing a chamber 55. As shown in Fig. 4 a hollow plug 56 secured in the rear end wall 57 of the casing isV formed with a valve seat 58 on its inner end and an indented outer end 59.' A rod 60 disposed within the casing has a portion 6l extending through the plug 56V andspaced therefrom at one or more points to provide a gas passage 62. A valve head 63 formed on theV rod is engageable with the seat 58 to close the passage 62 and limit rearward movement of the rod while a nut 64 threaded on the outer extremity of the rear portion 61 is engageable with the indented end of the plug to limit forward movement. The rear portion 61 of the rodis provided withV a passhown in Fig. 5 wherein the vent 67 and the forward end of the rod are eliminated so that ventingA must take place through the inlet 65. This affords a regulationv of the gases available for counterreccil and is especially suited to a mechanism having a non-variable stroke. 1

There is also shown in Fig. 3 a modified' method of adjusting the valve 49a in the piston head. rllhe valve has a reduced inner end 69 engageable in the forked end of a. rod 70 journaled in the hollow piston rod and projecting from the forward end thereof to be associated with gearing 71 actuated through a shaft 39a in the same manner as the shaft 39.

soVV

` Because the structure of the cylinder and piston` are not such as to retain the gases rindefinitely, it 1s necessary toprovidev means for holding the gun in battery. A provisionV for accomplishing this object is illustrated in Figs. 6 to 10 and consists of a piston 72 mounted in a housing 73 forming an element of the cradle and normally maintained in the forward positionby a'spring 74 having sufficient capacity to support the gun in 'all positionsv of elevation. rlhe piston is connectedtothe recoil cylinder by means of a pawl 7 'mount-v ed in a forked block 76 secured to the rear end of the piston and arrangedto'engage teeth 77 onA the cylinder. rEhe pawl is normally held in tooth-engaging position by a vplunger 78 and is adapted to be rotated out of engagement when, in partaking of the rearward movement of the gun in recoil, it rides on a cam surface 79 formed in the housing 73.

As seen in Fig. 8 one of the forks of the block 76 is extended and includes a trans#V er (Fig. lloverlies the casing 8O and hasl a tongue and groove connection 85 there-- with so that'it may reciprocate .with the plunger.

"ln a casing 86* formed in the housing 73 there is mounted a plunger 87 acting at right angles to the plunger 81 and arranged to env gage the arm 84 and oppose movement of the plunger 81'when the piston 72 is Hfully forward v(Fig. 8). 4 Upo'njrearward move-A ment of the piston the plunger'81 is released so that it will be free to enter the aperture in the pawl andV thereby hold the pawl out of engagement with the teeth 77 whilethe gtm and cylinder move in recoil. When all of Vthe teeth have cleared thepawl a lug-88 on the cylinder strikes the arm 84 deecting it laterally to withdraw vthe plunger 81 from the pawl and permitting the plunger 87 Vto reengage the arm 84 and hold the plunger 81 in withdrawn position.- The pawl is then free to be restored to the tooth-engaging position and when the gun and cylinder complete their counterrecoil movement the pawl will engage one of the teeth and thereby connect .the gun is partalring of the recoil movement.

A part of the energy of recoil is absorbed by turning the high velocity gases rearward through thel gases being obliged by their reversal to exert a forward pressure on the recoiling members.

During the initial stage of recoil and counterrecoil when the pressure'in the cylinder exceeds the rapidly decreasing pressure in the bore of the gun it effects the closing of the valve 23. The gases confined in the cylinder will be compressed as the forward end of the cylinder approaches the stationary piston head 46 and will act to yieldingly check the recoil of the gun.

A portion of the gases delivered to the passage 19 will flow past the valve 35 and through the conduit 33 to be admitted to the buffer chamber 47 established in rear of the piston head. lThe valve 35 will be closed when the pressure in the buifer chamber becomes superior to bore pressure. An additional supply of gas is admitted into the buffer chamber from the forward or high pressure side ofthe cylinder by means of the passage 48 and valve 49. The controlled delivery of gases to the buffer chamber and the adjustment of the valvesv 35 and 49 maintain the chamber at a low pressure to 'enable the higher compressed gases in the forward part of the cylinder to restore thegunto battery.

The compressed gases in the high pressure side of the cylinder are forced into the annular casing through the passage 62 and 65 so that at the termination of thefrecoil stroke 'the pressures in the cylinder and the casing "moves the rod 60 and seats thevalveGB. The

rod is also withdrawn from the vent'67to-'establish communication between the cylinderv and the atmosphere through the valve 68. The automatic action of this mechanism operating according to differential pressures serves as a means of regulating the velocity of recoil and counterrecoil the size -of the passage 65 and the lift of the'valve G7 being determining factors.

Where a constant length' of recoil is to be employed,'as opposed to a variable length of recoil, the vent 67fmay be eliminated as shownv in Fig. 5.

During the final portion of the counterrecoil strolretthepiston compresses the gases vin the buffer chamber and establishes such an equalization of pressures on either sidel thereof as will enable the gun to be eased into battery. At the end of the counterre-` coil all the gases escape from the cylinder, the valves 23 and 35 being normally open. The buffer 29 is arranged in the path of the valve 23 so that when the gun arrives in battery, it will positively open the Valve against any pressure that-.may be tending to hold it closed. Y

From the foregoing it will be seen that means are provided for regulating the rate of flow and the volume of the gases as they are admitted to or exhausted from the cylinder. In this way the length of therecoil and theV velocity of recoil and'counterrecoil can be positively andaccurately regulated, the adjustments being varied according-toA the elevation of the gun.

I claim:

1. ln a gun, a cradle, a barrel reciprocally mounted inthe cradle, a cylinder movable with the barrel, a stationary piston in the cylinder defining a main compression and a buffer chamber,- avalved communication between th'e chambers, a valved communication i between the barrel and each of the chambers, means operable on elevating the bare for automatically regulating the valves of said latter communications, means effective when the barrel is in battery for positively opening the valve in the communication `with the compression chamber, a relief valve for the buffer chamber, a relief valve for the compression chamber, an auxiliary compression chamber, and means for controlling the ilow of gases between the auxiliary and the main compression chamber and operable through differential pressures to control venting of the main compression chamber.

2. In a gun, a cradle, a barrel reciprocally mounted in the cradle, a cylinder movable with the barrel, a stationary piston in thecylinder defining a main compressionv and a buffer chamber, a valved communication between the chambers, a valved communication between the barrel and each of the chambers,

means for regulating thevalves of said latter communications, means effectivewhen the Iza barrel is in battery for positively opening the valve in the communication with the compression chamber, a relief valve for the buffer "chamber, a relief valve for thecompression chamber, an auxiliary compression chamber and means for controlling' the flow of gases between the auxiliary and the main compression chamber and operable through differential pressures to control venting Vof the main compression chamber.

3. In a gun, a cradle, a barrel reciprocally mounted in the cradle, a cylinder movable with th-e barrel, a stationary piston in the cylinder defining a main compression and a buffer chamber, a valved communication between the chambers, a valved connnunication between the barrel and each of the chambers, means for regulating the valves of said lat ter communi-cations, a relief valve for the butler chamber, a relief valve for the come pression chamber, an auxiliary compression chamber, and means for controlling the flow of gases between the auxiliary and the main compression chamber and operable through differential pressures to control venting of the main compression chamber.

fl. In a gun, a cradle, a barrel reciprocally mounted in the cradle, a cylindery movable with the barrel, a stationary piston inthe cylinder defining a main compression and a buer chamber, a valved communication be# tween the chambers, a valved communication between the barrel and each of the chambers, means for regulating the valves of said latter communications, means effective when the barrel is in battery for positively opening the valve in the communication with the cumpression chamber, a relief valve for the buifer chamber, and a relief valve for the compression chamber.

5. In a gun, a barrel reciprocally mounted in the cradle, a cylinder movable with the barrel, a stationary piston in the cylinder defining a compression and abuifer chamber, a valve block associated with the barrel and cylinder communicating passages in the valve block, means for introducing gases from lthe barrel to one of said passages, means for introducing gases to the compression chamber from one of said passages and to the buffer chamber from the other passageU a valve for each of the passages, meshed gears on the valves, a spring acting against each gear to normally hold the valve open, a nut threaded on each valve and having sliding and non-rotating connection with the valve block, means operable on elevating the barrel for rotating one of the valves, and means effective when the barrel is in battery for positively opening one of the valves.

6. In a gun, a barrel reciprocally mounted in the cradle, cylinder movable with the barrel, a stationary piston in the cylinder defining a compression and a bilder chamber, a valve block associated with the barrel and cylinder, communicating passages in the valve block, means for introducing gases from the barrel to one of said passages, means for introducing gases to the compression chamber from one of said passages and to the buffer chamber from the other passage, a valve for each of the passages, and means operable on elevating the barrel for simultaneously adjusting the setting of the valves. 7. In a reciprocating gun, a recoil mechanism utilizing the compressive action and reaction vofthe gases of discharge to check recoil and restorev the gun to battery, means for introducing the gases to the recoil mechanism at a plurality of points, a pair of valves controlling the rate of introduction of the gases, meshed gears on the valves, a spring acting on each gear to normally hold the valve open, a slidably and non-rotatably mounted nut threaded on each valve, and means operable on elevating the barrel for Vrotating one of the valves.

8. In a reciprocating gun, a recoil mechanism utilizing the compressive action and reaction of the gases of discharge to' check recoil and restore the un to batter a C-'asv passagevleading from the gun to the recoil,

mechanisnna valve for closing said passage, a spring normally urging the valve open, means for limiting movement of the valve in opening and means operable on elevating the barrel for adjusting the limiting means.

9. In reciprocating gun, a cylinder movable with the gun, a stationary piston in the cylinder defining a compression and a buffer chamber, a valved communication between the chambers whereby gases are transferable from the compression chamber, and

a valvedcommunication between the gun and each of the chambers.

l0. In a. reciprocating gun, a cylinder movable with the gun, `a stationary piston inthe cylinder defining a compression and a builer chamber, a valved communication between the chambers whereby gases are transferable from the Compression chamber, andY means for admitting gases from the gun to each of the chambers.

1l. In a reciprocating gun, a cylinder movable with the gun, a stationary piston in the cylinder, means for transferring gases of discharge fromthe gun to the cylinder for compressive action and reaction, an annular casing secured to the forward cylinder head and embracing the piston, a gas passage establishing communication between the cylinder and casing, a valve operable through differential.

.the gas passage, and a duct in the valve establishing communication between the cylinder Vand easing at all times.

12. `In a reciprocating gun, a cylinder movable with the gun, a stationary piston in the cylinder, means for transferring gases of discharge from the gun to the cylinder for com- 5 pressive action and reaction, an annular casing secured to the forward cylinder head and embracing the piston, a pressure operated valve controlling the flow of gases between the cylinder and casing, a vent for the cylinder controlled by the valve, and a duct in the valve for establishing communication between the cylinder and casing at all times.

13. ln a reciprocating gun, a cylinder movable with the gun and having a vent, a stationary piston in the cylinder, means for transferring gases of discharge from the gun to the cylinder for compressive action and reaction, a casing movable with the cylinder and having communication therewith at all times, and a pressure operated valve controlling the vent of the cylinder and the flow of gases between the Cylinder and casing.

14. In a reciprocating gun, a cylinder movable with the gun, a stationary piston in the cylinder defining a main compression chamber, an auxiliary compression chamber, and means operable through dierential pressures for controlling the ow of gases between the auxiliary and the main compression chamber, and the venting of the main compression chamber.

15. 1n a reciprocating gun, a cylinder movable with the gun, a stationary piston in the cylinder defining a main compression chamber, an auxiliary compression chamber, and

means operable through differential pressures for Controlling the How of gases between the auxiliary and the main compression chamber.

16. A cradle, a recoil gun mounted thereon, means for checking the gun in recoil and restoring it to battery, a gun-holding piston carried by the cradle, a pawl on one end of the piston, means for normally holding the pawl in gun engaging position, a fixed cam for disengaging the pawl on recoil, a plunger carried by the piston and engageable with the pawl to hold it disengaged, means for holding the plunger against rotation, a lug on the gun for moving the plunger out of engagement with the pawl, and means carried by the cradle for holding the plunger disengaged from the pawl.

17. A cradle, a recoil gun mounted thereon, means for checking the gun in recoil and restoring it to battery, a gun-holding member carried by the cradle, a movable gunongaging pawl on said member, means for disengaging the pawl from the gun during recoil movement of the gun, means carried by the gun-holding member for holding the pawl disengaged, and means for inoperating the holding means.

GLADEON M. BARNES. 

